The Calcutta High Court’s vacation bench declined to ban animal sacrifice during “Kali Puja” at the Bolla Kali temple in Kolkata. According to the court’s observation, religious customs in eastern India differ from those in northern India. Therefore, prohibiting these actions would not be right and many groups might view these as “essential religious practices.” A division bench of Justices Vishwajit Basu and Ajay Kumar Gupta was hearing a petition filed by the All India Krishi Go Sevak Sangh. The plea sought immediate relief to stop the animal sacrifice to be held on 1st November (Friday).
The bench, however, did not deem it appropriate to issue an interim order without holding a full hearing. The court stated that it believed that animal sacrifice is not a necessary religious practice, while also pointing out that there is a lot of difference in what is an essential ritual in North India and East India. “It is a matter of controversy whether the mythological characters were actually vegetarian or non-vegetarian,” the bench declared.
The organization sought immediate direction from the court to the Animal Welfare Board of India to stop ‘illegal animal sacrifice done in the most gruesome and barbaric manner’ in various temples of the state. The group’s lawyer responded that they currently want a ban at a specific South Dinajpur temple when asked if they intended for a restriction in all the temples. “One thing is clear, if the ultimate goal is to make the eastern part of India vegetarian, then it cannot happen. The Advocate General cannot live without fish every day,” the panel stated.
Afterwards, the Advocate General who was representing the state voiced that he was a strict non-vegetarian. “You need not challenge the validity of Section 28 (of The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960) because the practice of sacrifice does not form an essential religious practice of Kali Puja or any other puja, so far as the citizens of the eastern part of India follow. Food habits differ,” noted Justice Basu.
Justice Basu was referring to the section that reads, “Nothing contained in this Act shall make it a crime to kill any animal in the manner required by the religion of any community.” The High Court bench then listed the matter for further hearing and declined to provide relief. The court referred the case to Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam’s bench, which is already considering many similar pleas.
The group had also asked a division bench led by Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam last year to prohibit the killing of 10,000 goats and buffaloes during “Bolla Kali Puja.” The court had refused interim relief to stop animal sacrifice. However, it agreed to consider the larger matter of the legality of animal sacrifice in West Bengal.
Bolla village is located on the Balurghat-Malda highway, 20 kilometres from Balurghat town. The village has a historic temple where devotees worship Goddess Kali. The main Kali Puja is held on the Friday after Raas Purnima. A large number of devotees from various parts of the South Dinajpur district gather at the temple during the event and offer prayers. A three-day fair is organized during this period.
